Kelcey Chandler-Yates and Jim Yates present...

UnderSeaPhotoVideo.com

July 22, 2003
Bora Bora at the Bora Bora Yacht Club After Brian left from Raiatea we withstood gusts of wind in the anchorage up to 40 knots for 3 days until finally yesterday we felt it was safe to leave. We had an uneventful gorgeous sail over here to Bora Bora with winds from 15-20 just like we asked for! With one sail out we unceremoniously meandered at 5.5knots and arrived around 3:30 in the afternoon. We feel fortunate that there was a break in the weather as we were afraid we would not arrive to Bora before Barb and Jimmie did. At present we are anchored in front of the Bora Bora yacht club and have a nice safe mooring. It is quite beautiful here with the huge spire of the mountain looming overhead but the weather is gloomy with recurrent rains and the gusts picked up late last night to about 20 knots. I was destined to stay awake most of the night, gusts or not as poor Nick was suffering from severe back and neck spasms along with fever and frequent episodes of throwing up! Oh life as a mother-if he didn't look so pathetic and suffer so greatly I may have felt some mourning for myself but motherhood called and memories of those frequent bouts of selfless love when the children were small brought with them fond remembrances of their childhoods. At least Nick is a good aim now!! All settled down around 3am and then I could not fall asleep! Morning brought with it one tired mom as well as a grumpy kid. Never fear, Nick took a nap and Jim and I hitchhiked into town to scope out the provisioning, gendarme, make phone calls, and send a package back to Sylvia via Air Tahiti Nui. All done we returned to the boat to cook, clean and prepare for Barb and Jimmies arrival. Nick's stomach still un-recovered will prevent company for today! Jim and I got away to enjoy a wonderful meal at the yacht club-the French really can cook!!

July 26, 2003
Bora Bora anchored off of Motu Topua. We moved to be closer to all the kids on boats, which arrived recently from Raiatea. It is also easier to pick up Barb and family in town a much more beautiful. for beach walking and BBQs of which we had a great one two eves ago. The sky is so clear and the stars so bright that you know how the south pacific obtained its romantic allure! Having guests always reminds us of what we really have surrounding us. The wind is still blowing like stink however the motu we are behind also provides great shelter-probably with the wind coming from the east, the best protection we could possibly find. After a couple of days of lemon shark diving Barb and Jimmy decided to go island touring so today we will regroup after having Jimmy's son James and Eric from the boat Evolution over for a sleepover. A pizza party was in order last night with chocolate chip cookies for a midnight snack. Early to rise with raisin bread fresh out of the oven all the boys are now hard at work on the surf boards chick watching or playing Mancala. I will let you guess which set of boys were the chick watchers!! The boat Wild Bird has two Kiwi babes just about the right ages. Sweet girls and fun to boot.

July 27, 2003
Jacque Chirak arrives in Bora Bora Today we went to the celebration of the French President's arrival in Bora Bora. The Tahitians on many of the islands we have visited have been preparing for his arrival franticly for a year. France has dumped millions of dollars into their local economies for the appearance. The locals dressed in bright colored fabric sporting "welcome Jacque Chirak" which was given to them by the government to make their outfits! Quite the "staged" production. Brightly dressed children lined a pathway through the transported "beach" where he was speaking. They were forced to stand waiting for his arrival for over one and a half hours in the scalding sun. When he arrived though he made quite a presentation of smiling and shaking hands. Chris was one of the fortunate ones to partake as I was taking photographs. It was not until the Prez started to speak that the BS made him sound like any politician trying to smooch with the people! After bombing them for years with nuclear tests now he has the audacity to call the islands "Frances gem and most prized possessions"! It was enough to make me leave my front row patch of sand and go over to the protestors relegated to the other side of the street. As I stood their watching those for an independent Tahiti I was approached by a surly little French woman as tall as she was wide, who began to lecture me on the benefits of the French . I reminded her of the recent nuclear testing of which I know 3 people suffering from cancer related to it. If they want independence they should be able to protest for it. She went off on a tangent that induced a compulsory action from me. I went over to the protestors and asked for a independent Polynesian flag. I was draped with one attached around my shoulders which stayed on this rebellious American through the rest of the procession! Granted without some economic backing the Tahitians would likely return to their local ways before tourism and aid from France hit their shores. Many are afraid of the unknown but most Tahitians have a hatred for France that is not well hidden. The Marquesas is even worse-they want separation from Tahitian government as well as from France domination. Last year the Marquesan leader in favor of this separation and his lead supporters were flying to Hiva Oha for a celebration when their plane disappeared which never was a shred of debris found!-Not something that made world news unfortunately!! Well enough of my slim political view-it just irks me to see these islands slowly deteriorating. It is nothing more than westernization and greed, same as Americans have done world over but it still saddens us. But then again before missionary influence and as recent as the late 1800's, they were eating each other in some of these islands and some see the continuation of eating dog and turtle a crime-I recently heard of a little stand in Tahiti which sells a cup of dog for $5!!!

July 29, 2003
Moorings at Bloody Marys-an institution in these touristy islands. Great fun last eve here at Bloody Mary's where the food was fabulous and the lines of famous guests is equally impressive. Jimmy treated us to a wonderful meal as well as drinks galore. Jim and I tried moonfish, which we have never heard of before. They described it looking like a sunfish back home but we are still not sure. It was quite good but the company was what made the evening. Since their arrival we have not been able to really let loose with them and spend quality time. Tonight we all chatted up a storm. With a long dive and several vodka tonics under their belt Barb, Jimmy, James and Ruth returned to their resort to inspect the possibilities of manta snorkeling for the ladies and deep sea fishing for the guys tomorrow. We will meet up with them day after tomorrow. Once they left the restaurant, Jim and I sent the boys back to the boat and enjoyed each other's company for an hour of down time. Jim made friends with the bartendress. She has offered us her car whenever we need it as well as giving us a tour of the island and in return we will take her and her family out on the boat for an "island cruise". They have no boat so they are excited. We have no car so ditto! Another case of mind-blowing Tahitian hospitality! The winds are calming but still not enough to feel comfortable inching through the coral heads on the east side of the island so we will return to all the children over by the motu for the day and figure out where to anchor after that. Last night after Jim and I enjoyed a bit of time by ourselves we returned to the boat to try to sleep-roosters crowing, dogs howling, cats meowing and an old lady screaming at the prior made the decision to escape this bit of island paradise!